Hinge construction for toilet seats



ug. 31, 1948. P. 1. SPERZEL 2,448,330

HINGE CONSTRUCTION FOR TOLET SEATS Filed Sept. 20, 1945 the bottom edge3| of shelf 2 is a coil spring 39 covered at least in part by matchingcups 40'.

From the above, it will be obvious that by the mere tightening of nut 30on the threaded end 21 of shaft 26, the coil spring 32 will compressagainst the bottom edge of shelf 2, thereby applying tension to bolt 26so as to force it down tightly against hinge pin 25, which is connectedto seat 3. Pin 25 is thus forced tightly against the spaced walls 1 ofhinge bracket 6, applying braking friction thereto. Because bracket l2is pivoted freely on the outer end of pin 25, no braking action isapplied to the cover by the tightening of nut 30.

Likewise, to apply frictional braking action to the cover 4, nut 38 istightened on the screwthreaded lower end 36 of clamping bolt 35. It isagain obvious that no braking action is h applied to seat 3 by thetightening of nut 38 because the hinge bracket I5 is pivoted to the freeouter end of pivot pin 2 I.

By this 'novel construction and arrangement of parts, any desired amountof braking friction-can be applied to the pivotal connections of boththe seat 3 and cover li, so asto control their movements from ahorizontal to a vertical position. Thus, by tightening nuts 30 and 38,such braking friction may be applied to the hinge or pivot pins 2| and25 to hold the seat 3 and cover 4 against accidental movements, in thetilting position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. v

and numerous. For instance, on ships,trains, or planes, lwhere the bowlis subjected to tilting movements, the desired amount of braking actionmay be applied to both the seat and cover so as -to prevent either oneor both from accidentally falling from a vertical to a horizontalposition and thus interfering with the user or one cleaning the bowl, f

While I have described a commercial form of my invention, it should beobvious that the same could be changed or modified withoutk departinfrom the spirit of the attached claims. v

What I claim is: I 1. A friction hinge construction for pivotallyconnecting a toilet seat andv cover to one another and -an underlyingtoilet bowl, said friction hinge construction comprising cooperatinghinge brackets having aligned apertures and carriedone by the bowl andone by the seat, 4cooperating hinge brackets having aligned aperturesand carried one by the bowl and the other by the cover,

a hinge pin lcarried-by the cover and extending through alignedapertures of the cooperating bowl and seat brackets, a hinge pin carriedby i the seat and extending through the aligned apertures of thecooperating bowl and cover brackets, and friction braking means appliedto the opposite hinge pins, whereby the frictional braking actionapplied to one hinge pin will control pivotal movements of the seat andthe frictional braking action applied to the other hinge pin willcontrol pivotal movements of the cover. v

2. A friction hinge construction for pivotally connecting a toilet seatand cover to onek another and an underlying toilet bowl having arearwardly projecting supporting shelf, said friction hinge constructioncomprising .cooperating hinge brackets having aligned apertures andcarried one by the bowl and one by the seat, cooperating hinge bracketshaving .aligned apertures and carried one by the bowl and the other bythe cover, a hinge pin carried by the cover and extending throughaligned apertures of the. cooperating bowl and` seat brackets,y a hingep in carried by the seat and extending through the aligned apertures ofthe cooperating bowl and cover brackets, bolts extending through saidsupporting shelf and having hooked upper ends overlying said hinge pins,and tensioning devices on the lower ends of said bolts working agha'instthe underside of said supporting shelf, whereby the irictionalengagement bet-Ween said hinge'pins'and cooperating hinge brackets maybe varied to control the pivotal movements of said seat and cover.

3. A friction -hinge construction for pivotally connecting a toilet seatand cover to one another and an underlying toilet bowl having arearwardly projecting supporting shelf, said friction hinge.construction comprising cooperating hinge :brackets having alignedapertures and carried one by thebowl andone by the seat, cooperatinghinge brackets having yaligned apertures and l carried one by the bowland the other by the cover,

` 30 The benefits of this arrangement are obvious a hinge pin carried bythe cover and extending through aligned apertures of the cooperatingbowl and seat brackets, a hinge pincarried by the seat and extendingthrough the aligned apertures of the rcooperating bowl and coverbrackets, clamping .bolts extending loosely through said supportingshelf and having hooked upper ends overlying said hinge pins at pointsadjacent the hinge brackets carried by said bowl, adjusting devices onthe lower ends of said bolts working against the underside of saidsupporting shelf,l

whereby the frictional engagement between said hinge pins andcooperating hinge brackets may be varied to control the pivotalmovements of said seat and cover, andspring means interposed betweensaid adjusting device and said supporting shelf.

4. A friction hinge construction for pivotally` connecting a toilet seatand cover to one another and an underlying toilet bowl having arearwardly projecting supporting shelf, said friction hingeconstructioncomprising a pair of laterally spaced hinge brackets, each having spacedWalls providedwith aligned apertures and supported by and projectingupwardly from said` shelf, apertured hinge brackets carried by the seatand cover respectively and positioned adjacent opposite bowl supportedbrackets with their apertures aligned with those of their respectivecooperating bowl supported brackets, hinge pins carried by the :coverand seat respectively and extending through the aligned apertures ofopposite cooperating bracketsclamping bolts extending loosely throughsaid supporting shelf and having hooked upperends overlying said hingepins intermediate the walls of each of said rst men.

tioned hinge brackets, tensioning devices on the lower ends of saidbolts working against the under side of said supporting shelf, wherebythe frictional engagement between said hinge pins and said cooperatinghinge brackets may be varied to control the pivotal movements of saidseat and cover.

5. The structure defined in claim 4 in furthercombination with springmeans interposed between said tensioning devices andfsaidsupportingsheli'. l

6..A.friction hinge :construction for pivotally connecting a toilet seatand cover to one another and an underlying toilet bowl, said frictionhinge construction comprising spaced hinge brackets secured to the bowl,a hinge pintle carried by the seat and journalled for rotation. in oneof the said hinge brackets, a hinge pintle carried by the cover andjournalled for rotationin the other of saidspaced brackets, and frictionbraking means applied to the opposite pintles, Wherethe frictionalbraking action applied to one pintle will control movements of the seatand frictional braking action applied to the other of said pintles willcontrol pivotal movements of t -e cover.

7. A friction hinge construction for independn ently connecting a toiletseat and cover to one another and to an underlying toilet bowl, saidfriction hinge construction comprising :coaxial hinge pintles located tothe rear of the seat and cover and .adapted to be journalled to thetoilet bowl, the seat being mounted fast on one of said pintles and tbecover being mounted fast on the other thereof, and independentfriction-braking means applied one to each of said hinge pintles,whereby the irictional braking action applied to one hinge pintle by itsrespective braking means will control pivotal movements of the seat andfrictional braking action applied to the other hinge pintle by itsrespective braking means will control pivotal movements of the cover.

3. in combination with a toilet bowl, coamal Y:inge pintles horizontallydisposed at the upper .rear portion of and journalled to the toiletbowl, a toilet seat having its rear portion mounted fast on one of thehinge pintles, a toilet cover having its rear portion mounted fast onthe other of said hinge pintles, and independent friction braking meansapplied one to each of said hinge pintles,

whereby the frictional braking action applied to one hinge pintle by itsrespective braking means will control pivotal movements of the seat andfrictional braking action applied to the other hinge pintle by itsrespective braking means will control pivotal movements of the cover.

9. In combination, a toilet bowl having a flange projecting from itsrear portion, axially-spaced bearing brackets mounted on the shelf ofsaid toilet bowl, coaxial hinge pintles pivotally mounted one in each ofsaid bearing brackets, a seat anchored fast on one of said hingepintles, a .cover anchored fast on another of said hinge pintles,anchoring bolts extending upwardly through the shelf of the bowl andthrough oppo site of the spaced bearing brackets and equipped withhead-acting portions frictionally engaging the upper portions of thehinge pintles, and means on the opposite end of said anchoring bolts foryieldingly biasing the bolts in a downward direction.

PETER J. SPERZEL.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Wilson April 3, 1900Number

